News and Events
Australian Studies in 2016
KEITH CAMERON CHAIR ON TOUR - SUMMER, 2016
Australian Federal Election, 2 July
The election was too close to call on the night with the opposition Labor Party doing much better than many commentators had expected. There was a 3.5% national swing against the Coalition Government (on a two-party preferred basis). As the count progressed, however, the Coalition parties made up ground and is expected to form Government. Below are the latest results from the Australian Electoral Commission.
LONDON
I was fortunate enough to visit London in May to conduct research on current projects. One of the sites I visited was the Barbican Estate in London, one of the most important post-war urban precincts in the UK. This relates to research I am conductng on urban innovation and modernism in Australia.
SINGAPORE
From there I headed to Singapore in south east Asia, a country with important historical, cultural and economic links with Australia. I visited Fort Canning where the Allied Commanders surrendered to the Japanese on the 19th February, 1941; a very important development during the war in the Pacific.
ANZAC Day in Dublin, 25th April
Professor Erik Eklund delivered the ANZAC address at Grangegorman Military Cemetery at the Dublic ANZAC Day dawn service. Approximately 200 people braved the spring morning to attend this year's service. Among those present that morning were the Irish President, Michael D Higgins, and Mrs Sabina Higgins.
ANZAC Day 2016 Address
The text of Professor's Eklund address can be accessed here Anzac speech at Grangegorman Military Cemetery
Australian Studies Welfare State Symposium
The Centre sponsored a major Symposium on 'The Welfare State on the End of the Long Boom', 14-15 April, 2016. Over 25 people, including 10 invited speakers from Ireland and abroad, attended the two-day event organised by the Australian Studies Centre. The Symposium will produce an edited collection of chapters which explore the comparative history of the welfare state over the period, 1965 to 1980.
Photo: Prof Erik Eklund and Prof Pat Thane (King's College London) chair the final session of the Welfare State Symposium (photo Prof Melanie Oppenheimer).
Keith Cameron Lecture
The Keith Cameron Lecture will be held on the 9th November. More details coming soon on this year's special guest speaker.
Australian Studies in 2015
End of Semester Approaches, November, 2015: With the end of the academic semester very close, 90 UCD students will be finishing their first module in Australian History and completing the final examination. There are some very talented students among this group and we hope that a number will go on to complete the advanced level module in Australian history next semester.
The 2015 Keith Cameron Lecture was given by Professor Bill Gammage. The lecture was entitled 'How Aborigines Made Australia', 17th November, from 6pm, K114, Newman Building UCD.
Dr Vicki Grieves, from the University of Sydney, also presented on 'What can Aboriginal family history add to our understanding of Australian history?: a case for the recognition of a critical Indigenous theory of history in Australia'
on the 3rd November, 10am, K114, Newman Building, UCD.
James Fintan Lalor School, Portlaoise, 9-10 October 2015
Profesor Erik Eklund spoke at this innovative community engagement initiative sponsored by Laois County Council. 'It was a real pleasure to speak about that remarkable Irish-Australian Peter Lalor and also meet some of his Irish ancestors', said Professor Eklund. The weekend school included a diverse mix of speakers and panel discussions around the theme of commemoration. UCD staff were prominent contributors to the programme.
ANZAC Day 2015
Prof Erik Eklund, Keith Cameron Chair of Australian History at UCD, gave the Anzac Day address at a dawn service at the Grangegorman Military Cemetery Dublin on 25th April. A record crowd of more than 600 people turned out to commemorate the landings at the Gallipoli Peninsula, and remember those who lost their lives in this and subsequent conflicts.
ANZAC Day 2014
Prof Jeff Kildea gave the 2014 ANZAC address. The ceremony, which was held at Grangegorman Military Cemetery, commemorates those who died in the Gallipoli campaign during the First World War. A report on the ceremony and a link to the text of Prof Kildea’s address can be found at jeffkildea.com.